Here’s how we should fund repairs, maintenance of national parks
More than 200 members of Congress want America to fund maintenance at the national parks. Why don’t all of them? The Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act is a rare chance for a bipartisan win that lawmakers ought to prioritize.
Washington lucked out when it comes to national parks. Mount Rainier, Olympic and North Cascades are treasures that other states envy. Vast tracts of mountains, seascapes, forests and wilderness inspire awe and allow visitors to escape the rush of modern life right in our backyard.
Yet America has neglected Washington’s and most other states’ National Park Service sites. The backlog of deferred maintenance runs to $12 billion nationwide, including $428 million at Washington parks. Mount Rainier needs $186 million to catch up; Olympic, $127 million; and North Cascades, $23 million. The remainder is spread among smaller sites.
The Restore our Parks and Public Lands Act would allocate up to $6.5 billion over five years to begin fixing roads, historic buildings, recreation facilities and other infrastructure desperately in need of repair. The National Park Service would get most of that money, with smaller portions going to other federal land agencies with maintenance backlogs.
Best of all, the money wouldn’t come from taxpayers but from revenue generated by energy leases on federal lands and waters. Think oil, gas and coal extraction, and also renewables.
Americans love their national parks, perhaps too much. Millions of visitors take a toll on delicate ecosystems and decades-old infrastructure. Postponing repairs only makes matters worse.
By: Seattle Times editorial board
Source: Seattle Times